


I Can't Give You Anything But Love

by PenUltimate



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: (a few of those characters are just briefly mentioned), Dancing, Fluff, M/M, Pre-War, Swing, Swing Dance, and modern, lindy hop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 18:09:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9336671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenUltimate/pseuds/PenUltimate
Summary: Steve and Bucky dancing; then and now.





	

**Author's Note:**

> [l](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R-hFypvkJk) [i](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hclK-UKJNgk) [s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOYzFKizikU) [t](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NXv5B65z-U) [e](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsxtImDVMig) [n](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGFToiLtXro)

“I love this song,” Bucky mumbles absentmindedly, his glazed-over gaze directed at the cooking channel on TV. It’s muted – which Steve thinks is weird, but he’s certainly not going to tell Bucky that lest he induce a sulk.

Steve pauses in his mission to pair all their odd socks (futile, even Bucky could tell him that, but Steve wasn’t one for giving up easily. Or at all).

“Wanna dance?”

Bucky glances up at him at that, eyebrows raised in surprise.

_"C’mon, come dancing with me.”_

_“You know I won’t end up doing any dancing.”_

“You hate dancing,” Bucky points out.

“No, I hated sitting in dancehalls watching other people put their hands all over you and knowing I never could.”

Bucky squints at him doubtfully.

“Okay, yes, I don’t like dancing much, but I’m in the mood to right now.”

Bucky hums the intro to Glen Miller’s _In the Mood_ and Steve rolls his eyes, holding out his palm in offering.

“Alright,” Bucky sighs, “but which of us is gonna lead?”

“I'm bigger than you.”

“Yeah, well I'm older,” Bucky argues.  

“Not according to the rest of the world,” Steve points out, somewhat smugly. Propaganda does have its benefits and he'll take what little enjoyment he can get from it.

“Did you just stick your tongue out at me?” Bucky asks, exasperated by Steve’s _Steve-ness_.

“Maybe,” Steve hums, crossing his arms.  

He's never had to pretend to be mature and stoic when Bucky is the only one around, and it's always a relief.

“You’ve always had a death wish,” Bucky mock-threatens. “Fine, have it your way.”

“Hey, I'm not so bad at this,” Bucky remarks, sounding a little surprised as they swing slowly around the living room.

Steve smiles, eyes going soft – the way they always do when he's relaxed and happy.

“Of course. Your mom was a dance teacher, Buck.”

Which is news to Bucky, but now it makes much more sense that sometimes when he hears a new song on the radio, he shuffles his feet a bit or taps the beat out with his fingers, before informing Steve that “it's a jive” or quietly muttering “foxtrot” to himself.

It explains a lot, really.

_Strains of a long-forgotten song that almost have his shoes sliding across the cement in a dance his body almost remembers, even though his mind has lost the lost the steps._

_Jitterbug_. That's what it was called. He's almost sure.

He remembers a Steve, who didn’t have an ounce of rhythm in his body, and who was totally tone-deaf – even the serum hadn’t fixed that – humming to himself

 _Steve couldn’t sing_ well _, but he_ could _sing, and that was all that mattered to him._

Bucky didn’t have the most wondrous of voices either, but from what he could recall, he was an excellent whistler. Which Steve – what with his asthma and all – was not so great at. Thus, whenever Bucky whistled it annoyed him because he couldn't do it. But also because whistling can be very annoying in general.

The serum changed that somewhat – Steve became much more coordinated, less clumsy.

The serum changed a lot of things.

Steve’s hands always used to be so cold.

The perfect excuse for Bucky to hold them, to warm them up so that Steve could hold his pencil easier.

But then, after Azzano–

_“Why– your hands. They’re warm.”_

_“I guess the serum fixed a lot of things.”_

_“Some things don’t need fixin’.”_

 –after Azzano, that changed too.

So, dancing with Steve is certainly different to how it used to be. Yet, still Steve looks pleased and surprised when he manages to keep up with Bucky's movements.

Steve's hands are warm now, but that's okay. They help to warm up the metal hand, just like Bucky used to help warm Steve's.

Everything changes, but somehow everything stays the same.

“We used to have dancing competitions – not for skill. The last people standing at the end of the night were the ones who won,” Steve murmurs, the look in his eyes saying that he’s lost in memories.

Bucky can understand that. It feels as though there is a multitude of people in him, memories of things and places from half a dozen different lives, and he can't figure out which is which. But he can try.

“Did I ever participate?”

Steve looks at him with laughter in his eyes.

“Every time.”

“And did I ever win?” Bucky asks, raising an eyebrow. 

Steve lets out a small amused huff.  

“Sometimes.”

Bucky isn't sure how to take that, because there is a teasing lilt in Steve's voice as he says it, but in the end he decides to just shrug and retort with “well, I have much better stamina now,” as he waggles his brows suggestively.

Steve merely rolls his eyes in reply.

Bucky sighs, deciding to change the topic. They can revisit his brows and their suggestion later.

“It’s strange to dance with you like this,” he says.

“Why? I was always the lead," Steve points out, squeezing Bucky's hip lightly.

“You mean, I always let you lead,” Bucky snorts.

Steve shrugs, because both are probably true and he doesn’t care either way. He still gets to lead, after all.  

“I know what you mean. It’s strange for me too. Being… bigger. Even you being bigger. But I wanna relearn how to do this again, wanna relearn you. Everything about you. Or at least as much as you’ll let me,” Steve murmurs.

Bucky's gaze turns thoughtful, and he slides his hand up from Steve's shoulder to the side of his neck. His metal thumb brushes across the pulse point there, the light touch making Steve shiver. 

“Just like an old dance to a new song, huh?”

Steve snorts in amusement. “Something like that.”

"You're a sap," Bucky teases, trying to tamp down on his own pleased smile.

"And proud," Steve agrees.

“What's going on here?”

Steve and Bucky turn to face the door but they don't break apart. Their footwork has gotten slightly shot to hell since they're distracted, but they're still swaying with the beat.

Natasha and Sam are standing in the doorway, each looking amused in their own way – although they both also look like they're about to make smartass comments.

“I would've thought that'd be obvious,” Steve replies, sounding rather smart Alec-y himself.

“Dancing,” Bucky adds, “haven't you ever seen people dancing before?”

“Not like that,” Sam remarks, looking slightly judgemental – which Bucky takes great offense at.

“Well, what kind of dancing do you do, then?”

“Oh, no, I don't dance to this kind of music, that's for old people. Like you," Sam replies, shaking his head.

“Don't be silly, Samuel,” Natasha interjects, her lips quirking up at the corner. With that, she pulls him into a loose waltz, gracefully doing her one-two-threes as she takes the lead, guiding him across the floor. She looks as elegant and comfortable dancing as she does fighting and both Bucky and Steve delight in seeing it – especially since the other two are now distracted from teasing them.

They continue like that for a while, both pairs immersed in their own dances, laughing and joking, until there's a clattering at the door and the sound of loud footsteps.

Tony, obviously.

Clipped footsteps also follow him in, heels clacking against the wooden floor.

Pepper.

“I heard that there was a party going on without me,” Tony said, pointing an accusing finger at them in chastisement for not inviting him.

“It's not–” Steve beings to protest, wondering if Tony has gone so far as to order Jarvis to inform him whenever a party is happening in the tower. It definitely seems like something Tony would do.  

“Excuses, excuses,” Tony interrupts, waving away Steve's objection.

“Pepper, let's show them how it's done,” Tony invites, holding a hand out to his hand to his fiancé. A new song has come on and they glide into a foxtrot.

It’s not long before Clint and Bruce have joined them, appearing slightly out of breath and mildly concerned.

 _Did Tony send out some sort of call for assistance or something?_   Steve wouldn’t put it past him.

Of course, Clint demands the music be changed, turning up the volume on his hearing aids. He refuses to let Bruce wriggle out of joining in.

_“Now, this is what you Americans are really good for – your music. All those cultures mix together to make a beautiful sound.”_

_“You’re shot to ribbons Monty, hit the hay.”_

_“This is the third barn we’ve slept in, that joke has been overused. Give it a rest. And let the rest of us get some rest while you’re at it, turn that racket off. That radio is for communication, not music damn it.”_

“How did you guys learn such complicated dances?” Bruce asks curiously.

“No internet. We had a lot of spare time,” Bucky intones, facial expression much graver than Steve feels the situation warrants.

This of course leads to Clint demanding that they learn some more modern styles of dancing (Steve refuses to grind on anyone in public – “no Clint, not even for practise”) and then demanding that they also teach him their “old-ass moves”, which in turn leads to them all teaching each other the different dances they know (“Nat, that’s impossible, how the hell are your legs doing that when you’re practically squatting, this defies all logic”).

As for how they learned such complex dances, Bucky remembers practising and practising and practising, until the routines were practically programmed into his body, drilling it into his limbs over and over. Just like a flow drill. Before long, it came as easy as breathing.

Well, as easy as breathing came to Bucky – Steve, not so much.

And even though he doesn’t remember learning each individual dance move, he’s gotten used to his body remembering things his mind doesn’t.

At least he remembers Steve learning them.

_“I'm sure I could teach you a few steps?” Winnifred says, and it comes out more as a question than anything else._

_“That's real nice of you to offer, Mrs Barnes, but–”_

_“That's a great idea, ma! C'mon, Steve, I'll be your partner!”_

_Steve is slightly taken aback by Bucky's enthusiasm, and when the other boy takes his hand Steve refrains from arguing and decides to just go along with it._

_Bucky moves to Steve's side and puts his hand on Steve's back._

_“Actually, no, sorry, you should practise being the lead,” Bucky says, and when he removes his hand Steve misses the warmth of it. “Here, you put your hand over on this side, and the follow puts their hand on the closest side to them – the left.”_

_As Bucky arranges Steve's stance and arms, Winnifred moves to stand slightly in front of them with the same grin that always lights up Bucky's face. Their teeth flash when they smile, mouths open as if they're always on the verge of delighted laughter. Which they usually are._

_There's no music, but that doesn't seem to matter as Winnifred begins to guide them through some simple footwork._

_“Rock back, step forward, and then triple step. Now you try. Back, step, trip-le step. And again; back, step, trip-le step. Alright, you've got it," she explains, demonstrating each movement as she speaks. Steve doesn't know how anyone manages to speak while they dance, he'd surely fall over if he concentrated on anything else._

_"Next, you switch and do it on the other side. You watching?" Winnifred asks, only continuing when the boys nod._

_"Alright, now do it with me. Rock back, step, trip-le step, then step, step, trip-le step – starting with the other leg. You're pushing off on this leg during the second go 'round, you're pushing back, okay?"_

_Steve nods again as he stumbles through the steps, leaning into Bucky when he has to stand on one foot. It's difficult with his spine, but they're going slowly, so he's managing. When he glances up from his feet, Bucky merely smiles encouragingly._

_Winnifred watches carefully as Steve completes the steps a few more times at his own pace, before turning back around and starting up again._

_"Okay, very good. So, on 3: One, two three – one, two, three four; five six seven eight. Great! Now reset, okay, so go back to standing on your right leg, with your left leg ready to move."_

_"And, one, two, three, four; five, six, seven, eight. Yes! Really good, you're getting it! Again – one, two, three, four; five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four; five, six, seven, eight."_ _Winnifred claps her hands happily, looking proud of her son and practically-her-son._

_"_ _Al_ _right, now let's try it with music!” she enthuses, running over to the record player in the corner of the Barnes’ kitchen._

I Can't Give You Anything But Love _begins to drift through the room._

_After running through some basic footwork a few more times - this time continuously though the whole song - Winnifred tells them to take a break while she gets the laundry in from outside, since it looks like it might rain. Steve offers to help, but she waves him off._

_Bucky turns to Steve, still smiling and with a bit of advice on his tongue._

_“When we move on to turns and promenades and things, don’t forget that you’re the lead, okay? Not that I think you’ll have a problem being bossy, but your hand on my – the follow’s – waist is what tells me what move is coming next. Unless there are specific moves for a dance, it’s your choice what comes next, and you have to tell me with your hands which way you want me to go.”_

_"Telling you what to do and pushing you around? Sounds a bit rude," Steve points out._

_But Bucky merely snorts. "As if you don't do that anyway," he retorts. Steve pinches his side in retaliation._

_They're still sniping at each other when Winn returns, but she gets them back to practising with a raised eyebrow and a few pointed instructions._

_Becky enters the room at some point and decides to join in, and then later Steve's ma comes by to collect him so that they can head home together, so they end up having somewhat of an impromptu dance party._

_It's raining outside with the grey light filtering into the kitchen, but when they think of this day later – even in years and decades to come – the memory will be tinged with sunshine._

"Hey, you with me?" Steve asks, drawing Bucky away from the past replaying in his head.

"Always," Bucky replies. He lays his head on Steve's shoulder and wraps his arms around his waist as they continue to drift and sway. "Always."

The Avengers dance exchange makes for a strange contrast to Bucky’s memories. He can hear the laughter of his old family and his new one mingling – even if some of it is only in his mind.

 


End file.
